“That takes fucking guts”: Why Kathleen Hanna preferred Bratmobile to Bikini Kill
If there’s one person who can rightfully claim to be the godmother of the riot grrrl movement, it undoubtedly has to be Kathleen Hanna. As a co-founder and lead vocalist of Bikini Kill, her contributions to the scene were what helped put this snotty, punkish and unapologetically feminist counterpart to grunge on the map, and even if her and her band weren’t the first to play in this particular style, they certainly turned it into a more potent cultural phenomenon.
While not the first riot grrrl band, they did help to establish some of its core principles, and even managed to coin the name for the movement after drummer Tobi Vail began using the alternative spelling of ‘girl’ in her zine, Jigsaw. Besides, being the starting point of a genre doesn’t necessarily equate to being the best, as the bands that follow often have the potential to build upon the initial foundations that are laid down and elevate it to the next level.
Initially, the majority of early riot grrrl groups were emerging from the Pacific Northwest of the US in the states of Washington and Oregon, but after the likes of Bikini Kill, L7 and Bratmobile, the movement began to expand beyond its origins in one pocket of the country. The socio-political themes that were tackled in the lyrics and the staunchly DIY approach were hugely appealing elements of the style on top of the raucous feminine energy, and as riot grrrl made its way to the other coast and beyond into countries like Canada and the UK, it was clear that a much bigger movement was establishing itself.
However, Hanna herself conceded that she didn’t believe that Bikini Kill were the finest group to emerge from the scene, and that several of the acts that followed their lead managed to do everything far better than they did, developing the ethos in ways that she hadn’t previously thought of. One of the acts that impressed her the most was Bratmobile, a trio from Eugene, Oregon, who were signed to the same label as Bikini Kill, Kill Rock Stars.
They released their first single in 1992, with their debut album Pottymouth following in 1993, and the fearlessness in their attitude and brash musical approach was something that simultaneously impressed Hanna, as well as creating a sense of envy in her. In an interview with The Quietus, she asserted this belief that the group were doing everything much more convincingly than she was, and happily admitted that they were the superior act.
“I always say Bratmobile was a better band than Bikini Kill,” she began, “partially because I had that anger to propel me forward and also protect me, whereas they have this sort of, ‘Hey we’re at this summer party and we don’t care that you don’t even know what a summer party is, fuck you.’ It was like they were having a summer party on stage and I’m invited.”
Citing the childlike lyricism of Allison Wolfe and Molly Neumann, and picking out lines like “girl germs, no return”, Hanna said there was both a simplicity and bravery to what they were doing, especially due to the fact that they were performing almost exclusively in male-dominated environments. “They’re doing it in a room full of predominantly men who are, like, Melvins fans and I was just like, ‘Man, that takes fucking guts,’” she continued.
Battling against rampant misogyny and defying the vile retorts of the men in their audiences, Bratmobile had everything that Hanna not only wanted to instil in Bikini Kill, but to see it become a larger feature of the riot grrrl movement. “I definitely saw their vulnerability as a strength instead of a weakness,” she claimed. While they’re often regarded as the second foremost group of the movement behind Bikini Kill, it has to be said that they made a significant and life-changing impression on the movement’s main figure.
